DESCENDING NECROTIZING MEDIASTINITIS AND RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS SYNDROME TREATED BY AGGRESSIVE SURGICAL-TREATMENT

This paper describes the case of a patient who developed a pharyngoton sillitis and Ludwig's angina, and as a complication the most rare and grave mediastinitis, a descending necrotizing mediastinitis. The patie nt developed and adult respiratory distress syndrome secondary to medi astinal spread of a peritonsillar abscess. Only the combination of ''a ggressive'' surgical and medical therapy resulted in survival of the p atient. Important is the management of patients in Critical Care prese nting complications associated with this illness.